Want to Relax? Try These Top 5 Calming Oils

Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Having tools to support your feeling of calm and relaxation right now is more important than ever. Getting good quality sleep, exercising and moving your body, and taking time for yourself to do activities you enjoy are some ways you can support yourself in letting go of some pent-up stress. There are also some easy ways to get external support as well, especially if you need help in the moment. Luckily, many essential oils can help you relax, calm anxiety, and help your body and mind adapt to the stressors around you.

Keeping these 5 key essentials oils to help you relax and find calm can be the added benefit you need to get relief when you need it. Studies even show that you can actually find relaxation with a whiff. Read on to see which of these top 5 essential oils to make you relaxed and calm will be the best fit for you.

1. Chamomile

Herbal tea made from chamomile is known for its natural calming and relaxing effects and so the essential oil, especially when made from Roman chamomile, also has the same properties. Made from flowers from the chamomile perennial, this essential oil has a light herbal scent with a hint of fresh apple. Just a few deep breaths can help soothe your nerves. Chamomile oil also has muscle relaxing and pain-relieving effects, so it could be an excellent addition to a massage oil to help you relax after a long day of work or school.

2. Juniper

Distilled from the same berries used to make gin, juniper essential oils have a similar fresh herbal, fruit, and woody aroma. Inhaling or diffusing this oil can promote relaxation and a sense of calm. It has been traditionally used as a cleansing and purifying scent. If you’re using it for relaxation before sleep, there’s a double benefit because juniper berry may be able to help reduce snoring, helping you sleep more soundly through the night. Balance out this bright, astringent scent with other softer fragrances like chamomile and rose for a perfectly composed calm-promoting spray.

3. Lavender

You are likely familiar with lavender essential oil for sleep but its benefits extend beyond your bedroom. There’s some fascinating research that support its calming, relaxing, and anxiety decreasing effects. Research has even suggested that smelling a lavender scent could have a calming effect on the brain that could complement medications that target the same areas. Some people have used it to calm anxiety before a test or surgical procedure. If you need relief from this type of acute stress in your life, lavender should be in your arsenal.

4. Linden Blossom

A bit of a more unusual essential oil, it’s worth seeking out the linden blossom scent. The tiny white flower that it’s made from has a delicate and exotic floral aroma you’ll love using as part of a relaxing pre-bedtime massage oil or fragrance blend. Combine it with water and other essential oils from this list for a bedtime pillow spray or use it on its own to relief acute stress during your day.

5. Rose

You don’t need a bouquet of flowers in your home to reap the benefits of the lovely, floral rose scent. Rose essential oil contains both anxiety and pain reducing effects, helping you to feel calm and comfortable when you take a moment to breathe in its fragrance. This rich and dreamy scented oil can make an excellent component for massage oil or lotion which of course has even more added calming benefits. Make sure to shop around because rose essential oil is very expensive as well as volatile, so you will most likely find it as a rose oil blended with another neutral carrier oil like jojoba or grapeseed oil. True rose oil can be a costly investment, but a worthwhile one if you suffer from stress and anxiety.

Have you used any essential oils to increase that calm and relaxed feeling? Let us know about your experience in the comments!

References:

1. Goel N, Kim H, Lao RP. An olfactory stimulus modifies nighttime sleep in young men and women. Chronobiol Int. 2005;22(5):889-904.

2. Lillehei AS, Halcon LL. A systematic review of the effect of inhaled essential oils on sleep. J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(6):441-451.

3. Kim WJ, Hur MH. Inhalation effects of aroma essential oil on quality of sleep for shift nurses after night work. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2016;46(6):769-779.

4. Kao Y-H, Huang Y-C, Chung U-L, Hsu W-N, Tang Y-T, Liao Y-H. Comparisons for Effectiveness of Aromatherapy and Acupressure Massage on Quality of Life in Career Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2017;23(6):451-460.

Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Ginger Hultin MS RDN CSO is a Seattle-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and long time contributor to nutrition content on Foodtrients®. She is the owner of the concierge, virtual nutrition practice Ginger Hultin Nutrition where she helps clients with complex health conditions through an integrative approach. She specializes in anti-inflammatory diets for integrative oncology nutrition, people with gastrointestinal disease, and autoimmune issues. Her 10-year partnership with Foodtrients® has focused on evidence-based anti-aging nutrition, healthy recipes, and "top foods" lists in many categories from blood sugar control to healing your gut. Ginger serves as adjunct clinical faculty at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle. She is the director of communications at the Washington State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a past Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and past-chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. She has authored two nutrition books: Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep and the How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook. Ginger is a graduate of the University of Washington and Bastyr University and is currently pursuing her doctorate of clinical nutrition at the University of North Florida.